HEI Module Issues - solved...
Posted: January 8th, 2012, 11:24 pm
So today I had to replace my radiator so I moved a bunch of things out of the way to make room. One of the things I moved was the HEI Module with wires. When I put everything back together and started the car it ran ok for 2 minutes as I was adding coolant back to the system, then it died. I tried to start it and it died again, then it wouldn't even start or it would start, go to 4k, then drop and die. This is the other module (Accel) that has been running PERFECT for the past couple of weeks (since 12/18).
So I swap in the old generic one and it runs but I have the same issues I was having before (see below). I go to autozone and buy an exact replacement for the one that had been running great (Accel 35361 module: http://www.amazon.com/ACCEL-35361-Ignit ... 695&sr=8-1). I install it at Autozone and it has the same exact issues as the other one! HOW CAN THIS BE, IT'S BRAND NEW?
So I swap back in the generic one and it runs but has issues... so what is going on here? Any ideas? I thought buying a brand new Accel one would fix this as I assumed the Accel one had died (It's old and I've had it for years).
Context of the entire situation is below from my worklog... Any input is appreciated.
So I swap in the old generic one and it runs but I have the same issues I was having before (see below). I go to autozone and buy an exact replacement for the one that had been running great (Accel 35361 module: http://www.amazon.com/ACCEL-35361-Ignit ... 695&sr=8-1). I install it at Autozone and it has the same exact issues as the other one! HOW CAN THIS BE, IT'S BRAND NEW?
So I swap back in the generic one and it runs but has issues... so what is going on here? Any ideas? I thought buying a brand new Accel one would fix this as I assumed the Accel one had died (It's old and I've had it for years).
Context of the entire situation is below from my worklog... Any input is appreciated.
I've been fighting a gremlin in my car for the past couple of months. Basically the car would stall randomly and sputter badly leaving me stranded in the middle of intersections, on the side of the road, at the parking lot at work, etc for a few moments/minutes (enough to freak me out). Then there were occasions where it wouldn't even start up.
It all started with a slightly bouncing tach that would happen intermittently (slightly higher than supposed to be) then the tach started doubling and doing all kinds of crazy stuff so I was thinking the resistor went bad in the HEI mod so I replaced it. Didn't fix it.
I tried replacing the MSD blaster coil - didn't fix it.
I tried rewiring the entire HEI mod - didn't fix it.
I tried replacing the HEI coil wire (7th nipple).
I tried replacing plugs/wires (needed new ones anyways) smoothed everything out but didn't fix it.
I tried replacing the cap/rotor - didn't fix it.
The good news is I didn't buy most of that but swapped known working parts from the Race Car. The bad news is I should have swapped the HEI module first! So apparently symptoms of a going bad HEI Module are: Not starting (cold), random stalling, tach bouncing. Quick fix is to unplug everything from the module, plugging everything back up and it seems to magically work again.
After I removed all of the related wires it fired right up! I will say that one of the HEI modules actually was going bad (generic one) because of the bouncing tach issue so my first post is still a relevant solution with symptoms of a going bad HEI module.
Mark what made you think of the lighting?
